Miniature pump device

ABSTRACT

An air pump includes a driving unit and an airflow control unit. A piston base has a first intake through hole. A piston unit has an intake valve and a bladder portion, and the intake valve is located over the first intake through hole. A first valve base is located over the piston unit. A flow guide groove of the first valve base crosses over the paired intake valve and bladder portion. The first valve base has a first output through hole. The first valve base has a circular wall surrounding the first output through hole. A first output valve is located over the first output through hole. A second valve base is coupled to the circular wall to define a compression chamber. The second valve base has a second output through hole communicating with the compression chamber. A second output valve is located over the second output through hole.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number102108483 filed Mar. 11, 2013, which is herein incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a miniature pump device.

2. Description of Related Art

A miniature pump is a smaller size pump. Because the miniature pump'svolume is reduced, only a motor of a lower power can be installed in theminiature pump. Therefore, the efficiency of miniature pump depends onits valve or chamber design.

One shortcoming of a conventional miniature pump is the output airflowswith lower pressure, more effort is thus needed to enhance the outputpressure based upon the same power motor and same size volume.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide asminiature air pump to deal with the problems as discussed in the priorart.

In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives of the presentinvention, a miniature air pump includes a driving unit and an airflowcontrol unit, which is driven by the driving unit to input or outputairflows. The airflow control unit includes a piston base, a pistonunit, a first valve base, a first output valve, a second valve base, anda second output valve. The piston base has at least one first intakethrough hole. The piston unit has at least one intake valve and at leastone bladder portion, wherein the intake valve is covered over the firstintake through hole. The first valve base is located over the pistonunit, a bottom surface of the first valve base has at least one flowguide groove, which crosses the intake valve and the bladder portion,the first valve base has at least one first output through holecorresponding to the bladder portion, the first valve base furtherincludes a circular wall surrounding the first output through hole. Thefirst output valve is located over the first output through hole. Thesecond valve base is coupled to the circular wall to collectively definea compression chamber, and the second valve base has at least one secondoutput through hole communicating with the compression chamber. Thesecond output valve is covered over the second output through hole. Whenthe bladder portion is being compressed, airflows inside the bladderportion are output through the first output through hole, the firstoutput valve, the compression chamber, the second output through holeand the second output valve sequentially. When the bladder portion isbeing decompressed, airflows are introduced into the bladder portionthrough the first intake through hole, the intake valve and the flowguide groove sequentially.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the first output valveincludes a four-petal-flower-shaped valve.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the second outputvalve includes an umbrella-shaped valve.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the first output valvehas a greater covering area than the second output valve has.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the miniature air pumpfurther includes an upper cover disposed over the first valve base andthe second valve base, wherein the piston base, the piston unit, thefirst valve base and the upper cover commonly share a second intakethrough hole.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the second valve basehas a double-circular wall surrounding the second output through hole.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the upper cover has anair outlet, which communicates with an area surrounded by thedouble-circular wall.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the miniature air pumpfurther includes a seal ring filled into a seal groove of thedouble-circular wall.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the driving unitincludes a motor and an oblique linkage, and the oblique linkage iscoupled with a rotation axis of the motor.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the oblique linkagehas a plurality of connection ports, and each connection port is coupledwith a bottom end of the bladder portion.

Thus, when the miniature air pump operates, the bladder portion of thepiston unit is compressed and airflows are forced by the first outputvalve for the first time, and then forced by the second output valve forthe second time. Therefore, the airflows of the miniature air pump canbe output with a higher pressure. When airflows are reversed, twoone-way valves, i.e., the first output valve and the second outputvalve, are able to stop the reversed-airflows and enhance the outputpressure.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are by examples, and are intended toprovide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the followingdetailed. description of the embodiment, with reference made to theaccompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a miniature air pump according toone embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the miniature air pump inFIG. 1, which all components are assembled;

FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of partial components of theminiature air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged view of the first valve base in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged view of the second valve base in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the second valve takenalong a cross-sectional line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged view of the first output valve in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the first output valve,taken along a cross-sectional line 8-8′ in FIGS. 7; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the first output valvetaken along a cross-sectional line 9-9′ in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of theinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a miniature air pump according toone embodiment of this invention. A miniature air pump 200 basicallyincludes a driving unit and an airflow control unit. The airflow controlunit is driven by the driving unit to input or output airflows so as toperform the major functions of the miniature air pump.

The driving unit basically includes a motor 226, a motor base 224 and anoblique linkage 218. The motor 226 is secured to the motor base 224 by aplurality of screws 224 a. The oblique linkage 218 is coupled with arotation axis 226 a of the motor 226 by a steel rod 219 and an eccentricshaft. 220. Therefore, the motor 226 is able to drive the obliquelinkage 218 to rotate.

The airflow control unit basically includes a piston base 216, a pistonunit 214, a first valve base 212, a first output valve 210, a secondvalve base 208, a second output valve 206 and an upper cover 204. Thepiston base 216 has several receiving holes 216 c for bladder portions214 a of the piston unit 214 to be accommodated within. The amount ofthe bladder portion 214 a may be varied according, to actual demands.The piston base 216 should have receiving holes 216 c to accommodatebladder portions 214 a, and each receiving. hole 216 c is used toaccommodate a corresponding bladder portion 214 a. When the piston base216 and the piston unit 214 are assembled, the first valve base 212 ismounted over the piston base 216 and the piston unit 214. in order toincrease an output pressure of the miniature air pump, the miniature airpump 200 is equipped with an anti-reverse-flow double-stage structure,which includes a first valve base 212, a first output valve 210, asecond valve base 208 and a second output valve 206. Several bolts 202are led through corresponding holes at four corners of the upper cover204, the first valve base 212 and the piston base 216, and then screwedinto four corners of the motor base 224 so as to secure the airflowcontrol unit of the miniature air pump 200. One or more seal rings maybe installed between the upper cover 204 and the first valve base 212 toincrease the airtight level. In this embodiment, the first output valve210 may be a four-petal-flower-shaped valve, but not being limited to,while the second output valve 206 may be an umbrella-shaped valve, butnot being, limited to.

In addition, the oblique linkage 218 has a plurality of connection ports248 a at its end portions. Each connection port 218 a is coupled with abottom end of the bladder portion 214 a. When the motor 226 drives theoblique linkage 218 to rotate, the bladder portion 214 a is compressedor decompressed so as to perform the major functions of the miniatureair pump.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectionalview of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1, which all components areassembled, while FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of partialcomponents of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1. The miniature air pumpis used to supply pressured airflows, and needs to input airflows beforesupplying or outputting airflows. When the miniature air pump 200introduces airflows, the bladder portion 214 a is being decompressed.The airflows are routed through the communicated second intake throughholes (204 b, 212 a, 214 b, 216 b) on the upper cover 204, the firstvalve base 212, the piston unit 214 and the piston base 216 along adirection 100 a, routed into a hollow chamber, which is collectivelydefined by the piston base 216 and the motor base 224, along a direction100 b, and then routed through a second intake through hole 216 a and anintake valve 214 c of the piston unit 214 along a direction 100 c, androuted into the bladder portion 214 a through a flow guide groove 212 bon a bottom surface of the first valve base 212. The flow guide groove212 b crosses the paired intake valve 214 c and the bladder portion 214a. When the miniature air pump 200 supplies airflows, the bladderportion 214 a is being compressed. The airflows are routed into acompression chamber 212 d via a first output through hole 212 e, thefirst valve base 212 and the first output valve 210 along a direction100 d, routed through the second output through hole 208 d, the secondvalve base 208 and the second output valve 206 along a direction 100 e,and then output via an air outlet 204 a along a direction 100 f. In thisembodiment, the first output valve 210 has a greater covering area (thearea which the first output valve 210 covers over the first valve base)than the second output valve 206 has (the area which the first outputvalve 206 covers over the second valve base). In addition, the uppercover 204 has an air outlet 204 a, which communicates with an areasurrounded by the double-circular wall 208 b, to output airflows.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged view of the firstvalve base in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged view of the secondvalve base in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view ofthe second valve taken along a cross-sectional line 6-6′ in FIG. 5. Thesecond valve base 208 in FIGS. 5 & 6 is secured to a circular wall 212 cof the first valve base 212 in FIG. 4 such that the second valve base208 and the circular wall 212 c of the first valve base 212 collectivelyform a compression chamber 212 d. The circular wall 212 c is used tosurround the first output through hole 212 e (one or more first outputthrough holes). When the circular wall 212 c of the first valve base 212is assembled with the second valve base 208, the second valve base 208has at least one second output through hole 208 d communicated with thecompression chamber 212 d. The second valve base 208 has adouble-circular wall 208 b surrounding the second output through hole208 d (one or more second output through holes). The double-circularwall 208 b has a circular seal groove 208 c into which a seal ring,i.e., the seal ring 205 as illustrated in FIG. 1, may be installed. Inorder to precisely position the second valve base 208 on the circularwall 212 c, a disc body 208 a of the second valve base 208 is equippedwith a position rib 208 g to be inserted into a position hole 212 h ofthe circular wall 212 c. In addition, a central position hole 208 e ofthe second valve base 208 is used to be inserted by a shaft portion ofthe second output valve 206. A bottom protruding rib 208 f of the secondvalve base 208 is used to contact a top surface of the first outputvalve 210 so as to secure the first output valve 210 within thecompression chamber 212 d (referring to FIG. 7).

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged view of the firstoutput valve of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1, FIG. 8 illustrates across-sectional view of the first output valve taken along across-sectional line 8-8′ in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 illustrates across-sectional view of the first output valve taken along across-sectional line 9-9′ in FIG. 7. The first output valve 210 is usedto cover the first output through hole 212 e of the first valve base212, which is surrounded by the circular wall 212 c. The first outputvalve 210 includes a cross-shaped fastener 210 b and multiple valveportions 210 c. The cross-shaped fastener 210 b is used to engage across-shaped groove 212 fof the first valve base 212 (referring to FIG.4) such that multiple valve portions 210 c (e.g., four valve portions)of the first output valve 210 are covered over multiple first outputthrough holes 212 e, respectively. In this embodiment, the first outputvalve 210 may be a four-petal-flower-shaped valve, which has four valveportions 210 c to cover four corresponding first output through holes212 e, but not being limited to the four-petal-flower-shaped valve.

According to the above-discussed embodiments, when the miniature airpump operates, the bladder portion of the piston unit is compressed andairflows are forced by the first output valve for the first time, andthen forced by the second output valve for the second time. Therefore,the airflows of the miniature air pump can be output with a higherpressure. When airflows are reversed, two one-way valves, i.e., thefirst output valve and the second output valve, are able to stop thereversed-airflows and enhance the output pressure.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments arepossible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims shouldnot be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure of the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention,in view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present inventioncover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A miniature air pump comprising: a driving unit;and an airflow control unit driven by the driving unit to input oroutput airflows, wherein the airflow control unit comprises: a pistonbase having at least one first intake through hole; a piston unit havingat least one intake valve and at least one bladder portion, wherein theintake valve is covered over the first intake through hole; a firstvalve base disposed over the piston unit, a bottom surface of the firstvalve base having at least one flow guide groove, which crosses theintake valve and the bladder portion, the first valve base having atleast one first output through hole corresponding to the bladderportion, the first valve base further comprising a circular wallsurrounding the first output through hole; a first output valve disposedover the first output through hole; a second valve base coupled to thecircular wall to collectively define a compression chamber, the secondvalve base having at least one second output through hole communicatingwith the compression chamber; and a second output valve covered over thesecond output through hole, when the bladder portion is beingcompressed, airflows inside the bladder portion are output through thefirst output through hole, the first output valve, the compressionchamber, the second output through hole and the second output valvesequentially, when the bladder portion is being decompressed, airflowsare introduced into the bladder portion through the first intake throughhole, the intake valve and the flow guide groove sequentially.
 2. Theminiature air pump of claim 1, wherein the first output valve comprisesa four-petal-flower-shaped valve.
 3. The miniature air pump of claim 2,wherein the second output valve comprises an umbrella-shaped valve. 4.The miniature air pump of claim 3, wherein the first output valve has agreater covering area than the second output valve has.
 5. The miniatureair pump of claim 1, wherein the second output valve comprises anumbrella-shaped valve.
 6. The miniature air pump of claim 1, wherein thefirst output valve has a greater covering area than the second outputvalve has.
 7. The miniature air pump of claim 1 further comprising anupper cover disposed over the first valve base and the second valvebase, wherein the piston base, the piston unit, the first valve base andthe upper cover commonly share to second intake through hole.
 8. Theminiature air pump of claim 7, wherein the second valve base has adouble-circular wall surrounding the second output through hole.
 9. Theminiature air pump of claim 8, wherein the upper cover has an airoutlet, which communicates with an area surrounded by thedouble-circular wall.
 10. The miniature air pump of claim 9 furthercomprising a seal ring disposed into a seal groove of thedouble-circular wall.
 11. The miniature air pump of claim 8 furthercomprising a seal ring disposed into a seal groove of thedouble-circular wall.
 12. The miniature air pump of claim 1, wherein thedriving unit comprises a motor and an oblique linkage, the obliquelinkage is coupled with a rotation axis of the motor.
 13. The miniatureair pump of claim 12, wherein the oblique linkage has a plurality ofconnection ports, each connection port is coupled with a bottom end ofthe bladder portion.